The 2015 Country Showdown KHTS AM-1220 local competition winner will be headed to Nashville, Tennessee to compete in the final round of the 34th annual Country Showdown on Jan. 21.

Suzanne Harper will be competing in the Country Showdown National Final on Jan. 21 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville after winning the Country Showdown Regional Finals on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Egyptian Theatre in Oregon.

“(The Western Regional Finals) were awesome, it was a huge crowd,” said Harper. “We’re beyond excited (to play at the Ryman Auditorium). We’re looking forward to the chance to play on that stage.”

Two years ago, Harper made it all the way to the Country Showdown National Finals, where she came in second place.

Suzanne Harper holding the trophy her and her band received after winning the 34th annual Country Showdown Western Regional Finals. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Harper, Facebook.

Harper will be one of five national finalists competing for the grand prize of $100,000 and the title “Best New Act in Country Music.” 

Harper said it has been difficult for her band to prepare for the Country Showdown National Finals because she lives in Nashville while the rest of her band resides in California.

“We’re going to do a lot of Skype practicing,” Harper said.

KHTS AM-1220 has an unprecedented track record of sending our local contestant to the finals the last four years in a row.

Poor Man’s Poison, KHTS’ 2012 contestant, won the national championship and the $100,000 prize.

Harper, who was also KHTS’ 2013 entry, came in second place at the national finals.

KHTS’ 2014 entry, Marie Wise-Hawkins, also made it to the national finals.

Past participants in the Country Showdown include Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Lambert, Billy Ray Cyrus, LeAnn Rimes, Sara Evans, Gretchen Wilson & hundreds more. The Country Showdown helped jumpstart their dreams.

About Suzanne Harper

Suzanne Harper competed in the Country Showdown two years ago and made it all the way to the finals at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee where she came in second place.

Harper is from San Diego, where she was born and raised. San Diego is about two and a half hours south of Santa Clarita.

Other than the Country Showdown, Harper also performed with Sugarland in front of about 15,000 people.

Harper opened for Journey in Provo, Utah in front of approximately 50,000 people on July 4, 2015 as well.

Suzanne Harper plays guitar, sings and leads a full band which include her husband, Ross Harper who plays the banjo and the mandolin, her brother-in-law John Harper who is the drummer, her son Eric Bird who plays the electric guitar and Marsha Staub who is the bass player.

The 2015 KHTS Country Showdown local competition is sponsored by Reeves Complete Auto Service and Keyboard Galleria Music Center.